Machine and process for making wire cables

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, with or without a core wire or core strand, which are either free from twist or have a directed twist when free from tension, by spiral preforming the wires or strands, wherein wires or strands move forward at a distance from an axis about which they are simultaneously rotated, and each wire or strand is drawn over one or more edges towards a twisting station located on the said axis, the wires or strands being permanently deformed at the said edges which displace their points of contact on the wires or strands once around the periphery of the wire or strand for every one revolution of the wire or strand about the said axis. The apparatus includes a preforming mechanism comprising two or more discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being offset by an adjustably predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores being so small that wires or strands passing through the bores are permanently deformed.

ttes atet Heinen et al.

[72] Inventors: Peter Heinen, Oberbruch; Hans Guthmann, Hilden; Peter Gossens, Oberbruch, all of Germany [73] Assignee: Glanzstoii AG, Wuppertal, Germany [22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 874,202

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 9, 1968 Germany ..P 18 08 120.4

[52] US. Cl ..57/9, 57/138, 57/166 [51] Int. Cl ...D07b 3/00, D07b 7/00 [58] FieldotSearch ..57/9,55,l38, 139,166

[56] References Cited UNYTED STATES PATENTS 1,823,886 9/1931 Clark ..57/9 1,894,756 l/1933 Clark..... ...57/9 1,899,559 2/1933 Damon ...57/9 1,942,218 1/1934 Schmitz ...57/9 1,998,430 4/1935 Barclay ..57/9 2,238,496 4/1941 McDonald ..57/9 2,556,164 6/1951 Carleton et al. 57/55 X 2,724,944 11/1955 Carleton et al. ..57/5S Feb. 15,1972

3,083,817 4/1963 Campbell ..57/138 X Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins AttorneyJohnston, Root, OKeeffe, Keil, Thompson & Shurtlefi [5 7] ABSTRACT Method and apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, with or without a core wire or core strand, which are either free from twist or have a directed twist when free from tension, by spiral preforrning the wires or strands, wherein wires or strands move forward at a distance from an axis about which they are simultaneously rotated, and each wire or strand is drawn over one or more edges towards a twisting station located on the said axis, the wires or strands being permanently deformed at the said edges which displace their points of contact on the wires or strands once around the periphery of the wire or strand for every one revolution of the wire or strand about the said axis. The apparatus includes a prefomting mechanism comprising two or more discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being offset by an adjustably predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores being so small that wires or strands passing through the bores are permanently deformed.

17 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 15 I972 3.641 .755

f ATTORNEYS ah-LGD 5% MACHINE AND PROCESS FOR MAKING WIRE CABLES INTRODUCTION Several conventional machines for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables by preforming the wires or strands use aligning rollers. In such machines, the wires or strands to be twisted are bent over three rollers arranged axially parallel one behind the other in the direction of travel of the wires. In this context, a strand" is an arrangement of stranded wires which are combined with one another to form a so-called stranded cable. The expression wire cable refers to an arrangement consisting of individual wires with which no further wires or strands will be combined. During the forward movement of a wire or of a strand, the deformation imparted to the wire or strand by the aligning rollers moves helically along the periphery. The interval between the first and third rollers of the mechanism is governed in accord with the length of twist of the wires or strands, while the extent to which the center roller is offset relative to the other two rollers determines the radius of curvature of the deformation which the wire undergoes.

Aligning rollers occupy a considerable amount of space which is a considerable disadvantage in the case of machines in which a large number of wires or strands are twisted at the same time. In order to change the length of twist or the radius of curvature, all the preforming units, each consisting of three rollers, have to be adjusted in such a way that the intervals between the rollers are the same. This is a complicated and time-consuming operation. The diameters of the rollers and the intervals between them and also the radii of the guide grooves of the rollers limit the diameters, the twist lengths and the radii ofcurvature of the preformable wires and strands to a certain range. For this reason, aligning rollers cannot be used for wires and cables of small diameter, for short twist lengths and small radii of curvature.

In one machine developed with aligning rollers, the rollers are replaced by metal balls which are mounted on circles concentric with the twisting axis in three successive planes. The wires or strands are pulled through between pairs of contacting balls. Although this machine enables small diameter wires and strands to be processed, the wires and strands show a tendency to jam between the balls because they are pressed against one another and cannot rotate freely.

In another known machine, the wires and strands are run off from spools and are then wound on mandrels into helical springs with tightly packed turns. They are then drawn from the mandrel into a hopper inclined towards the twisting station which determines both the diameter of the helix and its pitch. If the diameter of the helix or the twist length of the wires or strands changes, the hoppers have to be replaced, an operation which is both complicated and time-consuming.

In other known machines, the wires or strands to be preformed are drawn repeatedly looped over cylindrical pins or replaceable hooks before they are combined in a twisting sleeve to form a strand or cable. Although machines of this kind enable both the length of twist and radius of curvature to be changed quickly and easily, considerable friction is developed between the wires or strands and the pins or hooks which results in damage to the surface of the wires or strands. At relatively high takeoff speeds, it causes undesirable heating of the wire or strands. In addition, considerable takeoff forces have to be applied in order to overcome the frictional forces.

THE INVENTION HEREIN An object of the invention is to develop a method of and an apparatus for preforming wires or strands, suitable for high twisting speeds, by means of which the disadvantages of the conventional machines referred to above can be obviated.

The invention is based upon the physical phenomenon that wire drawn over an edge of a suitably small radius is stressed beyond its elastic limit and as a result is permanently deformed.

The invention provides a method of making strands, wire cables or stranded cables with or without a core wire which are either free from twist or have a twist direction when free from strain. The wires or strands move forward at a distance from an axis about which they are simultaneously orbited, and each wire or strand is drawn over one or more orbiting edges towards a twisting station located on said axis. The wires or strands are permanently deformed at the said edges which displace their points of contact on the wires or strands once around the periphery of the wire or strand for every one revolution of the wire or strand about said axis.

The wires are thus preformed into helices whose diameter is governed by the radii of curvature of the edges and by the angle of deflection of these wires or strands at the edges, A small helical diameter is promoted by having a small radius of curvature of the edges and a large acute angle between the axes of the wires or strands running on to or off from an edge and the center line or axis of the bore containing the edge. This angle is known as the deflection angle. If the wires or strands pass successively over an even number of edges, the radii of curvature of the edges and the deflection angle of the wires or strands should be made different because otherwise the deformations imparted to the wires or strands at the edges could cancel out one another.

The tension under which the wire or strand is drawn over the edges also exerts an influence upon the extent of the deformation. Any increase in this tension is accompanied by a reduction in the helical diameter of the preformed wires or strands. In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, therefore, the tension prevailing in the wires or strands is made adjustable. By this means, the helical diameter can be adapted to any change in the cable or strand required without any need for the existing edge radii or deflection angles to be changed.

The speed at which the wires or strands orbit about the said axis, referred to as the twisting axis, in correlation to the rate at which the wires or strands are drawn off determines the length of twist of a layer of strand or wire in the completed cable or in the completed strand. According to another aspect of the method according to the invention, therefore, the speed of orbit of the wires or strands about the twisting axis and the draw-off rate of the wires or strands are made to be variable independently of one another. It is thus possible to adjust the twist lengths required for the production of different kinds of strands and cables.

In the manufacture of hollow cables from preformed individual wires or strands, it is particularly difficult to make a hollow round cable, i.e., so that the curve circumscribing the cable cross section forms or substantially forms a circle. It is possible to obtain hollow cables of circular cross section by making the diameter of a twisting sleeve and/or the diameter of pressure jaws arranged immediately behind the twisting sleeve from 2 percent to 10 percent smaller than the diameter of the wire cable. The diameter of the wire cable is defined as being the diameter of the circle circumscribing the cross section of the cable.

Generally speaking, it is desirable to make strands or cables that are nontwisting when free,from strain. Strands and cables which are nontwisting when free from strain can be manufactured by making the interval between the preforming unit (which simultaneously acts as a guide disc) and the twisting sleeve such that the wire and strand spirals are combined with one another at the natural twisting point. The natural twisting point is that point at which the wire and strand spirals, as determined by the draw-off rate and the orbit speed, combine together to form a strand or cable in dependence upon the tension in the wire or cable.

Occasionally, however, strands or cables with a twist direction are also required. The twist direction is defined as the number of turns which a strand or cable has when free from tension in relation to a twist-free strand or twist-free cable, The twist direction can have either a twisting or untwisting effect.

A twist direction can be established in the cable by making the interval between the preforming unit simultaneously acting as guide disc and the twisting sleeve smaller or larger than the interval required for the production of strands or cables that are non-twisting when free from strain. If this interval is made smaller, the strand or the cable is given a tightening twist direction. A loosening or untwisting twist direction is established in the cable or in the strand in cases where this interval is increased. Any increase in the preforming angle also increases the tendency towards untwisting. Conversely, any reduction in the preforming angle gives a cable which has a tendency to tighten but which is, however, less resistant to cutting.

The invention also provides an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention having a preforming unit comprising two or more discs disposed one behind the other. Each of the discs is provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc. The bores in one disc are offset by an adjustably predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the other disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores is so small that wires or strands passing through the bores are permanently deformed.

A guide disc is provided for guiding the wires or strands. A second disc is arranged axially behind the guide disc at a distance from it and has the same number of bores as the guide disc, though the edges of the bores are smaller in radius. The second disc can be adjusted by rotatably displacing it relative to the guide disc. The discs make up a preforming unit in which the angle of rotation between two bores through which the same wire or the same strand passes determines the extent or magnitude of the preforming. The larger the angle of angular displacement between the discs, the larger will be the deflection angle of the wires or strands at the edges of the bores by which the wires or strands are permanently deformed. The radius of curvature of the permanently deformed wires or strands increases with decreasing angle of deflection. In order to be able quickly and easily to adjust the angle of rotation between the two discs, the discs are given scales graduated in degrees. Another particular advantage of the arrangement is that knots in the wire or strand are able to pass through it without any difficulty. Accordingly, the arrangement can quickly resume operating after a change of spools.

In order to be able to adjust the tension prevailing in the individual wires or strands and to keep it constant during twisting, delivery spools for the wires and strands are each provided with a brake whose braking pressure can be adjusted and regulated by means of a dancer roller.

The brake preferably consists of a disc fastened to a bobbin around which a cable is looped. One end of the cable is connected through an adjusting screw to a spool carrier, while the other end of the cable is secured to the arm of a dancer roller. The dancer roller arm, which is spring-loaded, is deflected by the wires or strands coming from the delivery spool. The extent to which this arm is deflected is governed both by the tension prevailing in the wires and strands and by the spring bias. Any variations in the takeoff tension in the wires or strands which produce a change in the extent to which the dancer roller is deflected, also produce a change in the forces generated by the cable brake in the strands or wires. The change is such that the sense that the two force variations cancel one another and the tension in the wires or strands remains substantially constant.

When wires are combined to form a strand and when strands are combined to form a cable, it is not possible completely to avoid irregular tension in the wires or strands. Since the breaking strain and durability of a strand or of a cable are greater in cases where equal tensions prevail in the wires or strands, the strands or cables are preferably subjected to an additional stretching operation in order to render the tensions uniform.

In the manufacture of preformed stranded cables consisting of strands with a limited number of wires in any one layer, by

the method according to the invention, two wires will, as a rule, always be simultaneously in contact with the edges of the bores at which they are deflected. While the deflecting edge describes an are along the periphery of the cable, the strand will make small jerky movement around its longitudinal axis in such a way that two wires are always in contact with the edges of the bores. Consequently, preforming of the strand is not completely continuous along its periphery,

These variations in preforming can be eliminated by providing a stretching attachment and a false-twist attachment after pressure jaws and before a winding mechanism, the pressure jaws themselves being arranged after a twisting sleeve.

In order to be able to make strands and cables differing in twist length by means of this arrangement, the preforming unit, twisting sleeve, the stretching attachment, the false-twist attachment and the winding mechanism preferably are driven by variable-speed drives adjustable independently of one another.

In order to vary the interval between the preforming unit and the twisting sleeve and pressure jaws, the twisting sleeve together with the pressure jaws are arranged in such a way that they can be displaced along a guide adjustably connected to the machine frame.

In another embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the two or more discs containing the bores for deforming the wires or strands are axially displaceable relative to one another. The greater the distance between two discs, the smaller will be the deflection angle of the wires or strands and hence radii of curvature of the wires or strands at the bores. Accordingly, the helical diameter of the permanently preformed wires or strands decreases with an increasing distance between the discs.

In order to be able to make two layer or multiple layer strands or cables with the apparatus, the two discs are advantageously provided with two or more rows of bores arranged on circles of different diameters. The edges of the bores can be prevented from wearing by forming the bores with the radii on which the wires or strands are deflected in cemented metal carbide sleeves inserted into the cylinders.

THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention is described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically, partly in section, an apparatus for making single-layer stranded cables by means of a high-speed twisting machine;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the preforming section of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a view of the preforming section in the direction of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section through the pressure jaws.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Spools 2 are mounted in a twisting machine I. The spools 2 are arranged one behind the other in rows and are kept horizontal by the low center of gravity of spool carriers 3, which are mounted by journal bearings 4 on the drive shaft 5. A ring 6 mounted on the twisting machine casing is rotatably mounted on rollers 7 rotatably mounted in stationary bearing blocks 8. A motor M drives the shaft 5 connected to the twisting machine 1 via the gear train G. Drag brake discs or pulleys 9 are connected to the spools 2. A cable 10 is looped around the respective brake discs 9 and is connected at one end thereof to the spool carrier 3 by a tension-adjusting screw 11. The other end of the cable 10 is attached to a dancer roller arm 12. Each dancer roller arm 12 is pivotally mounted on a pin 13 in the side of the spool carrier 3. A tension-adjustable spring 14 resiliently biases each dancer roller arm 12. Wire strands 16 travel from the spools 2, which are rotatably mounted on spindles or axles 15, and travel over the rollers 17 of the danger roller arms 12. From there, the strands travel over a guide roller 18 fixed to the spool carrier 3.

The strands 16 pass from the guide roller 18, and over guide rollers 19 and through passages in ring 6 into guide passages 20 in the base flange of the twisting machine casing. The guide passages 20 are lined with tubular inserts 21. On leaving the guide passages 20 the strands 16 pass through bores or passages in a disc 23 which forms part of a preforming head 22. Another disc 24 of the preforming head 22 has its passages or bores angularly offset by an angle relative to passages in the disc 23 by an amount determined experimentally to provide the required helical diameter of the wire strand helices H. On leaving the disc 23, the strands are laterally deflected at the edge of the bore and, after passing through the gap between the discs 23 and 24, enter bores in the disc 24 on edges of which bores the strands are permanently deformed. The strands leave the disc'24 in the form of a helix or spiral H as the result of this preforming, and combine together at a twisting point defined by the twisting sleeve 25 to form a cable 27. The twisting sleeve 25 is followed by pressure jaws 26 which compress the cable.

After leaving the pressure jaws, the cable 27 passes in figure 8 fashion over a pair of rollers 28 and 29. This pair of rollers is followed by a false-twist device 30 in which any minor deviations from the helical form of the strands which may have occurred during the preforming, are eliminated. From the falsetwist device 30, the cable 27 passes in figure 8 fashion over a second pair of rollers 31 and 32. Variable stretching ratios may be adjusted between the pairs of rollers 28, 29 and 31, 32 by varying the respective drive speeds thereof. On leaving the second pair of rollers, the cable 27 enters a traversing mechanism 33, and it is then wound in layers on to a drum or spool 34. The false-twist device 30 and one pair of rollers may be omitted in the production of strands, ifdesired.

FIG. 2 shows the preforming head 22 in more detail. The base flange of the twisting machine 1 has the tubular inserts or liners 21, through the bores or passages 20 of which the strands 16 are guided. A metal carbide sleeve 35 at the outlet end of the bores 20 prevents base flange of the twisting machine 1 from being damaged as the strands 16 emerge from it. The strands 16 are then guided into bores or passages 36 in the disc 23. The bores 36 are formed in metal carbide sleeves 37 which are inserted into the disc 23. On both sides of the disc 23, the edges of the bores 36 are flared with large radii or curvature so that the strands 16 are only very slightly permanently deformed, if at all, by them. The disc 24 is offset relative to the disc 23 by an amount corresponding to the twist angle a (FIG. 3). On leaving the bores 36 in the disc 23, the strands 16 are guided through the bores 38 in the disc 24 and are laterally deflected in the gap between the two discs 23 and 24.

As a result, the strands 16 are bent at the edges of the outlet end of the bores 36 and the inlet end of the bores 38. While the radii of curvature of the outlet openings of the bores 36 respectively are large enough to prevent or to allow only slight permanent deformation of the strands 16, the radii of curvature of the inlet openings of the bores 38respectively are so small that. when bent around the respective latter radii, the strands are permanently deformed. For every revolution completed by the preforming head 22 around its axis, the point at which the strands 16 are bent is displaced once around the periphery of the strands 16. The strands themselves do not rotate about their own longitudinal axes when the preforming head 22 rotates. The simultaneous forward movement of the strands produces a bending zone which moves helically along the periphery of the strands. Accordingly, the strands assume a helical or spiral form H.

The bores 38 are formed in metal carbide sleeves 39 inserted into the disc 24. The disc 23 has coaxial stub shafts 40 and 41. The stub shaft 40 has a hub 42 with diametrically opposite flat sides 43, a stop ring or flange 44 and a threaded pin 45. The threaded pin 45 is screwed into a screw thread 46 tapped in the base flange in the twisting machine 1. The screwthreaded pin 45 is tightened by torque application with a tool applied to the flat sides 43, The stub shaft 41 extends through and supports the disc 24 which can be rotated and axially displaced on this shaft. The disc 24 is locked in position by means of a set screw 48 in the hub 47 of the disc. The twisting machine 1 contains a bore 49 and the shafts 40 and 41 of disc 23 contain bore 50 through which a core strand 51 can be fed.

The strands 16 travel towards the twisting sleeve 25 where they are intertwisted into a cable 27. The pressure jaws 26 immediately follow the twisting sleeve 25, which is mounted in the plate 52. The jaws consist of a top section 53 and a bottom section 54. The two sections 53 and 54 are formed with opposed hemispherical guide grooves for the cable 27 and are mounted in two plates 55 and 56. The plate 55 is arranged to pivot about a pin 57 mounted on the plate 56, and the laterally extending arm 58 of the plate 55 carries a displaceable weight 59 (FIG. 4). The distance between the two plates 55 and 56 can be adjusted as required by means of a stop screw 63. The two plates 52 and 56 are arranged on a common supporting plate 60 mounted on a support 61. The support 61 is displaceable along a guide plate or channel 61 running parallel to the common axis of the twisting machine 1 and the preforming unit 22.

The stretching attachment, the false-twist attachment, the traversing mechanism and the winding drum can be driven by a motor through reduction gears in the usual way. It is alternatively possible to use multiple motor drives, in which case the motors must operate in synchronism with one another. The synchronism may be established by means of an electric shaft or by a regulating system.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A method of making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, which comprises moving forward a plurality of wires or strands radially spaced from an axis about which they are simultaneously orbited, deforming each wire or strand by drawing it over respective edges of respective pairs of axially successive, angularly displaced passages arranged in respective circular rows of equal diameters towards a twisting station located on the said axis while orbiting said passages about said axis, thereby displacing the points of contact between said edges and their respective wires or strands once around the periphery of said wires or strands for each orbit or said wires or strands and said passages about the said axis, to form permanent helices in said respective wires or strands.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, and bending each wire or strand as it passes between respective pairs of said passages over a rounded passage edge of large radius as it exits from the first of said pairs of passages and over a rounded passage edge of small radius as it enters the second of said pairs of passages to permanently deform into said helices respective wires or strands as they pass over said last-mentioned edges.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, and varying the speed at which the wires or strands orbit about the said axis and the draw-off rate of the wires or strands independently of one another.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, and drawing the formed, strand wire cable or stranded cable through a member in or immediately following said twisting station, said member having a diameter from 2 to 10 percent smaller than the diameter of the strand, wire cable or stranded cable, said last-mentioned diameter being the diameter or a circle circumscribing the cross section of the resultant strand or cable.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein strands, wire cables or stranded cables which are non-twisting when free from tension are produced by passing said wires or strands through respective passages orbiting about said axis and providing at a respective end thereof said edges with the intervals between said twisting station and said respective passages set to combine the wire or strand helices with one another at their natural twisting point.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein strands, wire cables or stranded cables which have a twist direction when free from strain are produced by passing said wires or strands through respective passages orbiting about said axis and providing at a respective end thereof said edges with the intervals between the twisting station and respective passages set at larger or smaller intervals than the intervals which would cause the wire or strand spirals to combine together at their natural twisting point.

7. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, one row in one disc being equal in diameter to the corresponding row in the preceding disc, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of the bores in at least one row being sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices.

8. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, delivery spools for the respective wires or strands, adjustable brake means connected to each spool, and a dancer roller operatively connected to said brake means and regulating the braking pressure thereof.

9. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, a cable stretching attachment and a false-twist unit following said apparatus.

10. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and a twisting sleeve in which said wire or strand helices are intertwisted into strands, cables, or stranded cables.

11. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, and opposed, pressure jaws for applying pressure to said strands, cables or stranded cables immediately following said twisting sleeve.

12. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 10, and means mounting said twisting sleeve for adjustable movement toward or awa from said discs.

13. n an apparatus as claimed in claim 10, power driven means for drawing the strands, cables or stranded cables through said sleeve, and variable speed drive means for driving said preforming unit and said power driven means at independently adjustable speeds.

14. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 10, and spaced roller means for longitudinally stretching the formed strands, cables or stranded cables.

15. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row or bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, spaced roller means for longitudinally stretching the formed strands, cables or stranded cables, and false twist means interposed between said spaced roller means.

16. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and means mounting said discs on a drive shaft in relative axial displacement thereon.

17. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and said bores at which the wires or strands are deflected being bores through sleeves of wear resistant material mounted in said discs.

m gs UNHED STATES PATENT owns QER'HFIQATE OF QQRREQTMN Patent No. 5, ,755 Dated February 5, 97

Inventor(s) Peter Heinen, Hans Guthmann, and Peter Gossens It is certified that: error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

column line 7 "danger" should read dancer .3

Column 6, line 48, olaim l, "or said" should read of said Column 8, line 3 claim 8 "or bores" should read of bores Signed and sealed this 12th day of September 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,J'R. ROBERT GOT'ISCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A method of making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, which comprises moving forward a plurality of wires or strands radially spaced from an axis about which they are simultaneously orbited, deforming each wire or strand by drawing it over respective edges of respective pairs of axially successive, angularly displaced passages arranged in respective circular rows of equal diameters towards a twisting station located on the said axis while orbiting said passages about said axis, thereby displacing the points of contact between said edges and their respective wires or strands once around the periphery of said wires or strands for each orbit or said wires or strands and said passages about the said axis, to form permanent helices in said respective wires or strands.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, and bending each wire or strand as it passes between respective pairs of said passages over a rounded passage edge of large radius as it exits from the first of said pairs of passages and over a rounded passage edge of small radius as it enters the second of said pairs of passages to permanently deform into said helices respective wires or strands as they pass over said last-mentioned edges.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1, and varying the speed at which the wires or strands orbit about the said axis and the draw-off rate of the wires or strands independently of one another.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 1, and drawing the formed, strand wire cable or stranded cable through a member in or immediately following said twisting station, said member having a diameter from 2 to 10 percent smaller than the diameter of the strand, wire cable or stranded cable, said last-mentioned diameter being the diameter or a circle circumscribing the cross section of the resultant strand or cable.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein strands, wire cables or stranded cables which are non-twisting when free from tension are produced by passing said wires or strands through respective passages orbiting about said axis and providing at a respective end thereof said edges with the intervals between said twisting station and said respective passages set to combine the wire or strand helices with one another at their natural twisting point.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein strands, wire cables or stranded cables which have a twist direction when free from strain are produced by passing said wires or strands through respective passages orbiting about said axis and providing at a respective end thereof said edges with the intervals between the twisting station and respective passages set at larger or smaller intervals than the intervals which would cause the wire or strand sPirals to combine together at their natural twisting point.
 7. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, one row in one disc being equal in diameter to the corresponding row in the preceding disc, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of the bores in at least one row being sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices.
 8. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, delivery spools for the respective wires or strands, adjustable brake means connected to each spool, and a dancer roller operatively connected to said brake means and regulating the braking pressure thereof.
 9. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row of bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, a cable stretching attachment and a false-twist unit following said apparatus.
 10. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and a twisting sleeve in which said wire or strand helices are intertwisted into strands, cables, or stranded cables.
 11. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, and opposed, pressure jaws for applying pressure to said strands, cables or stranded cables immediately following said twisting sleeve.
 12. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 10, and means mounting said twisting sleeve for adjustable movement toward or away from said discs.
 13. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 10, power driven means for drawing the strands, cables or stranded cables through said sleeve, and variable speed drive means for driving said preforming unit and said power driven means at independently adjustable speeds.
 14. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 10, and spaced roller means for longitudinally stretChing the formed strands, cables or stranded cables.
 15. In an apparatus for making strands, wire cables or stranded cables, a wire or strand preforming unit comprising two or more coaxial, rotatable discs disposed one behind the other, each of the discs being provided with at least one circular row or bores, each of which rows in one of the discs contains the same number of bores as a corresponding row in the other disc or discs, the bores in one disc being angularly offset by a predetermined amount with respect to the bores in the preceding disc, and the radii of curvature of the edges of at least one row of bores sufficiently small that wires or strands passing through the bores and deflecting across said edges are permanently deformed into helices, spaced roller means for longitudinally stretching the formed strands, cables or stranded cables, and false twist means interposed between said spaced roller means.
 16. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and means mounting said discs on a drive shaft in relative axial displacement thereon.
 17. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and said bores at which the wires or strands are deflected being bores through sleeves of wear resistant material mounted in said discs. 